Why does Thoreau say majority rule explains who wins but not who is right?
Civil Disobedience
30 minutes total
ByHenry David Thoreau
Grade11-12
Time30 minutes
Essential question
Why does Thoreau say majority rule explains who wins but not who is right?
Marked passage
Passage location
Essay - majority rule and conscience passage
Start anchor
After all, the practical reason why, when the power is once in the hands of the people, a majority are permitted
End anchor
I think that we should be men first, and subjects afterward.
Passage focus
Conscience versus majority
Ways to teach it
Listening
Listen to the exact passage; visual following is optional. Same question and evidence demand.
Solo
Read the exact passage independently.
Supported
Use narration and sentence highlighting while reading the same passage.
Teacher guide
Close
Name the single detail that most changed or sharpened your interpretation, and explain why.
Evidence
Use Thoreau's description of why majorities rule and his appeal to conscience or being 'men first.'
Mark
Underline the explanation for why majorities are able to rule. Circle the sentences about conscience and justice. Draw a line showing where the argument moves from POWER to RIGHT.
Instructional move
Separate power to decide from moral authority to decide
Notice
• What can a majority establish simply by having more votes or force? • What can numbers not establish according to Thoreau? • Why does separating power from moral authority increase the responsibility of the individual?
Strong answer
Majority rule explains who has enough power to decide, not whether the decision is just. Numerical strength and moral authority are different categories.
Think
Answer provisionally: Why does Thoreau say majority rule explains who wins but not who is right? Choose the strongest interpretation you can defend from this passage alone.
Watch for
Do not say majority decisions are always wrong. The claim is that numbers cannot by themselves establish moral rightness.
Why this passage
Thoreau argues that majority rule explains who has more physical power, not who has moral truth. By separating numerical strength from conscience, he creates a reason for individuals to resist legal decisions they judge unjust.
Write
Write a short evidence-based response to: Why does Thoreau say majority rule explains who wins but not who is right? Use at least two details from the assigned passage and explain how they support your interpretation.
Student tasks
Mark
Underline the explanation for why majorities are able to rule. Circle the sentences about conscience and justice. Draw a line showing where the argument moves from POWER to RIGHT.
Notice
What can a majority establish simply by having more votes or force? What can numbers not establish according to Thoreau? Why does separating power from moral authority increase the responsibility of the individual?
Think
Answer provisionally: Why does Thoreau say majority rule explains who wins but not who is right?
Write
Write a short response using at least two pieces of evidence from this passage. Use evidence from the assigned passage. Show what you noticed and how the text supports your interpretation.
Ready-to-teach lesson
TumbleTA 6-12 · TEXT-BASED LESSON
BATCH 08 · 11-12 · LESSON 164
Civil Disobedience
Henry David Thoreau
Why does Thoreau say majority rule explains who wins but not who is
right?
TOTAL TIME
PASSAGE
30 minutes
Conscience versus majority
FIND THE ANCHOR TEXT
Use the Anchor Text Table of Contents in the Enhanced Reader to open the START anchor. Then use the dropdown to select the END anchor.
SECTION / LOCATION
Essay - majority rule and conscience passage
START
After all, the practical reason why, when the power is once in the hands of the people, a majority are permitted
END
I think that we should be men first, and subjects afterward.
PASSAGE ID
sec-cd-02
THE MOVE
Separate power to decide from moral authority to decide
WHY THIS PASSAGE
Thoreau argues that majority rule explains who has more physical power, not who has moral truth. By separating numerical strength from conscience, he creates a reason for individuals to resist legal decisions they judge unjust.
MARK
Underline the explanation for why majorities are able to rule. Circle the sentences about conscience and justice. Draw a line showing where the argument moves from POWER to RIGHT.
page 1
NOTICE
What can a majority establish simply by having more votes or force?
What can numbers not establish according to Thoreau?
Why does separating power from moral authority increase the responsibility of the individual?
THINK
Answer provisionally: Why does Thoreau say majority rule explains who wins but not who is right?
Choose the strongest interpretation you can defend from this passage alone.
WRITE
Write a short evidence-based response to: Why does Thoreau say majority rule explains who wins but not who is right? Use at least two details from the assigned passage and explain how they support your interpretation.
CLOSE
Name the single detail that most changed or sharpened your interpretation, and explain why.
STRONG ANSWER
Majority rule explains who has enough power to decide, not whether the decision is just. Numerical strength and moral authority are different categories.
EVIDENCE
Use Thoreau's description of why majorities rule and his appeal to conscience or being 'men first.'
WATCH FOR
Do not say majority decisions are always wrong. The claim is that numbers cannot by themselves establish moral rightness.
SOLO
Read the exact passage independently.
SUPPORTED
Use narration and sentence highlighting while reading the same passage.
LISTENING
Listen to the exact passage; visual following is optional. Same question and evidence demand.
page 2
STUDENT PAGE · SAME PASSAGE, SAME THINKING
Civil Disobedience
Henry David Thoreau
Why does Thoreau say majority rule explains who wins but not who is
right?
START ANCHOR
After all, the practical reason why, when the power is once in the hands of the people, a majority are permitted
END ANCHOR
I think that we should be men first, and subjects afterward.
Use the Anchor Text Table of Contents in the Enhanced Reader to open the START anchor. Then use the dropdown to select the END anchor.
OPEN THE MARKED PASSAGE IN TUMBLELIT
SOLO: read independently. SUPPORTED: use narration + highlighting. LISTENING: listen to the exact passage. The question and evidence task stay the same.
1.MARK - Underline the explanation for why majorities are able to rule. Circle the sentences
about conscience and justice. Draw a line showing where the argument moves from POWER to RIGHT.
2.NOTICE - What can a majority establish simply by having more votes or force? What can
numbers not establish according to Thoreau? Why does separating power from moral authority increase the responsibility of the individual?
3.THINK - Answer provisionally: Why does Thoreau say majority rule explains who wins but not
who is right?
4.WRITE - Write a short response using at least two pieces of evidence from this passage.
Use evidence from the assigned passage. Show what you noticed and how the text supports your interpretation.
page 3
Original printable PDF
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